Summer Sowing in Valley Junction

A Downtown Community Group passed out over 3,000 tracts, 2,000 water bottles, and 1,000 sunglasses this summer at the Valley Junction Farmers Market. 

Every Thursday night, Greg Baker’s Downtown Community Group could be found at the Valley Junction Farmers Market. Partnering with the city of West Des Moines and the Valley Junction Foundation, the group volunteered by picking up trash in exchange for a booth. This summer marks the third year they have volunteered. 

Throughout the summer, they gave out over 3,000 Gospel tracts, 2,000 bottles of water, and 1,000 Walnut Creek sunglasses, in addition to Bibles and invitations to church. The booth space allowed the group to form relationships with people at the market, West Des Moines officials, and fellow vendors. 

Their prayer throughout the summer was to see the Gospel sown and people reached. God answered their prayers. One of their first weeks, they met Marci, who had just moved to Des Moines with her son. The group was then able to help her son move into Des Moines University and introduce them to Walnut Creek Downtown. 

The group also reconnected with Stephen, a young man who they had met and shared the Gospel with a few years earlier. “It turned out one year later he was saved. He is only 16 but well read in the Bible and has a heart to reach the lost,” Greg said. “For the last two weeks at the market, Steven joined us at our booth and went out sharing the Gospel with us.”

Whenever the group had enough volunteers to clean up with trash and be at the booth, people would then go out into the crowd and engage in conversations about Jesus. “The Gospel was sown with many soft hearts this summer,” Greg said. 

Prayers for favor with the city were also answered. Each week different city officials and volunteers would thank them and show appreciation for their work. Greg says they initially planned to work the market through July, but with so much fruit seen and so many relationships formed, they have extended their time to August and possibly September. 

“We will continue to clean up trash, and sow and water God's Word. We look forward to seeing what God makes grow,” Greg said. 

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By Jackie Wallentin and Greg Baker  

Walnut Creek Windsor Heights and Downtown  

“How to Change the World” Message Series Begins

How to Change the World study guide

A new message series – “How to Change the World” – began at Walnut Creek’s Downtown and South congregations on January 25. The 13-week series based on the book of Acts will continue through April 20, and we invite you to join us.

“The question we’re going to answer throughout this series is: How can I be part of changing the world? How can I join God in his plan to impact the world?” Pastor Dan Rude said in the first message of the series. “In the book of Acts, God lays out his plan for the church. We see a pattern, we see principles, for investing our life.”

One of the series’ primary passages is Acts 2:41-47, which describes the incredible community experienced by the generous and growing Acts church. Over the course of the next 13 weeks, we will take an in-depth look at the early church, the substance of their community, and how God uses discipleship to transform the world by the Gospel. To download a free "How to Change the World" study guide, click here.

At Walnut Creek, community groups continue to be the heartbeat of our church. With nearly 50 groups meeting at homes throughout the city for bible study and fellowship, community groups offer an opportunity to live out the example set by the early church. As part of the kickoff of the new message series, cards with prayer requests for our community groups were given out at church. Each week there will be a new list and a different area of emphasis. Here is this week's list:

• That each believer would be encouraged and grow in their relationship with the Lord (Ephesians 4:11-16)
• That we would have genuine friendships as we grow and pursue the Lord together (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
• That God would raise up more leaders (Mark 10:42-45)
• That God would raise up more laborers (Matthew 9:35-38)
• That our community groups would grow and multiply (Acts 2:47)
• That our community groups would be united (John 17:21)

Acts 2:41-47
So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.